Warframe 1999 feels absolutely amazing, but I wish I had more than ten minutes

I remember where I was when caught my first glimpse into the world of Warframe 1999. I was lucky enough to attend a pre-briefing of Tennocon 2023, and from that moment on I was sold. Blending the grit and grime of Metal Gear Solid with Warframe’s signature cyber ninja style, I’ve wanted to get my hands on it ever since – a feeling amplified by my neon-bathed Tennocon 2024 experience earlier this year. So, imagine my face when Digital Extremes confirmed that a Warframe 1999 demo was going to go live the day after my birthday. I booked an extra day off, saddled up, and got ready to ride.

And it really is quite the journey. The demo begins in the basement of Höllvania Central Mall, the dusty, forgotten shopping haven that our merry band of misfits calls home. I’m thrust into the shoes of Arthur Nightingale, Warframe 1999’s stoic protagonist, and ushered towards my grumbling Atomicycle, the multiplayer game‘s newest feature.

I’m immediately obsessed with it. While, in some places, the driving feels a little slippery, tearing through the gothic Germanic streets of Höllvania feels amazing. Things are exploding around you, there’s swathes of enemies in your way, and the sky is raining floating turrets that are intent on taking you down. In one fluid motion, I backflip off of it, sending the now roaring machine straight into a group of enemies. They explode with satisfying screeches, and then I’m back in the saddle, heading towards my next objective.

As I tear the hordes asunder I’m goaded by Major Rusalka, Warframe 1999’s Lady Dimitrescu-style antagonist. She mocks my skills, throws more enemies at me, then calls me a slug, and I absolutely love it. In fact, as I kill my final enemy (you’re tasked with taking down 91 of them), I’m ready to face her or one of her dieselpunk tanks.

But instead I’m told to extract. ‘Cool,’ I think. ‘I’ll be able to check out some of the Höllvania Central Mall’s features.’ I speed recklessly towards the green marker, ready to send some cute, flirty messages to my companions of choice. But, as I reach my destination, I’m greeted with a screen that tells me that the Warframe 1999 demo is “complete.” I’m punted back to my Orbiter slightly perplexed: is that it? A quick check of my phone tells me I’ve only actually been playing for around ten minutes.

A quick look at the in-game chat echoes my sentiments. “Is the Warframe 1999 demo really just that one mission?” writes one. The trailer promised of snowy locations, and even a cheeky smooch right at the end; unfortunately, none of that’s on show. Having waited for over a year to finally step into the shoes of Ben Starr’s Arthur Nightingale, it’s a little disappointing, and I close the PC down feeling deflated.

But what I will say is Höllvania looks amazing. It’s everything Digital Extremes promised me back at TennoCon 2024: a vibrant mix of World War II style vehicles and west European architecture, blended together with Warframe’s signature neo-futurism. It’s a zone I can’t wait to explore even further; I want to uncover every secret, and explore every little nook and cranny. The demo is a great teaser ahead of the Warframe 1999 release date – but it really is, to borrow Digital Extremes’ phrasing, just a “glimpse.”

The Warframe 1999 demo is playable now on all platforms. Note that you’ll have to complete Warframe’s tutorial in order to play. You can access the demo using the ’90s-style PC that pops up in your Orbiter (just right of the main navigation hub), and you’ll receive the free Protokol Longsword skin when you complete it.

If you’re looking to dive back into the Origin System, we have a list of all the currently active Warframe codes to help you kit out your profile. Alternatively, we have a list of all the best free Steam games if you’re looking for something to pass the time with.

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